Really good read. Interestingly, there's a real renaissance in general face-to-face boardgames at the moment, with creative designers focussing on creating something that is fun to play with another person/group, something you can't do in a solo computer experience. Whereas a group may want to create a shared story, explore games mechanics or tackle an interesting strategic problem, it be that the wargamer is after something slightly different.

I remember playing Columbia's Hammer of Scots a number of years ago with a friend, and later playing a computer version of it. The computer version had all the same mechanics, but absolutely none of the tension and emotions you get when you are playing a human opponent. For board wargames, that's the bit you should double down in.

I think there is a place for board wargames, but it's not going to be able to compete with the realism in computer game engines. And as someone who took time to learn ASL back in the day - nor should it....the strength of board wargames would be in tackling an abstract problems in a fun and quick-to-learn format - making for an intriguing game rather than hyper-realistic.

Frank Hunter's Guns of August is not a port of the original boardgame. They are completely different designs.

Also, you are conflating sales numbers and pre-order numbers. No one expects Imperial Struggle to sell 2,500 copies. Most gamers don't pre-order. If SPI's best-selling title ever was Starforce at 50,000 copies, then Twilight Struggle has already outsold it.

Also the AI of todays games are an after thought..I still think the AI of the older days where graphics were not the best had much better than todays AI. Why because the older games had No real eye candy so the AI had to keep you into the game.
Exmples are
SSI
SSG

What I would not give for a good AI that had some real effort put into the Progaming.
The last real boardish game I played was Tillers Nappy Series. The AI was so aweful it made me stop playing gainst AI. (the AI would send ing 2-3 units at a time just to slow you down. AI never had a solid front. More than once the AI would send its arty to the front line only to have it unlimber and STUPIDLY facing away from the enemy..Useless)